Thursday, July 20, 2017

Reminder: Speed Limit Enforcement Blitz this weekend

TOPEKA, Kan. – The Kansas
Department of Transportation has partnered with law enforcement agencies across
the state to launch a tough new speed enforcement blitz statewide. The
intensified enforcement effort against speeding drivers underscores the severity
of the problem in cities and towns across Kansas.

“Speeding greatly reduces a driver’s
reaction time,” said Chris Bortz, KDOT Traffic Safety Program Manager. “A
speeding driver puts everyone on the road at a greater risk of a crash.”

On average in Kansas, 25
percent of fatal crashes are speed-related. Nationwide, speeding was a
contributing factor in 27 percent of all fatal crashes, leading to more than
9,500 deaths, according to the latest data from the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA).

During campaign from July
21-23, officers will intensify enforcement of posted speed limits on Kansas
roads, highways and interstates, targeting and ticketing speeding drivers.

“We’ll stop and cite anyone
caught speeding—especially in construction zones and on interstates—where most
of our speed-related crashes occur,” said Lt. Adam Winters with the Kansas
Highway Patrol.

As speed increases, the
severity of crashes increases, leading to a rise in fatalities and/or serious
injuries. According to NHTSA, a crash on a road with a posted speed limit of 65
miles per hour or greater is more than twice as likely to result in a fatality
than a crash on a road with a speed limit of 45 or 50 miles per hour, and
nearly five times as likely to result in a fatality than a crash on a road with
a speed limit of 40 miles per hour or below.

“On the drive to zero
fatalities, you are in the driver’s seat,” Bortz said.